Hide pasting machine

ABSTRACT

For pasting and slicking a hide or the like upon a plate, a wheel-equipped shaft is rotatably mounted in a support and carries at its outer end portion a pivotally mounted air cylinder having a piston stem carrying a slicking blade for stroking the hide, while a second air cylinder on the shaft has a piston stem connected to the first cylinder for moving it toward and away from the plate. The control mechanism operates valves for directing air to opposite ends of the cylinders in sequence for stroking and return movements and for locking the mechanism during the slicking stroke. The support may be slidably mounted in a mobile frame and may carry an operator&#39;&#39;s seat and power means for moving the frame independently of travel by the hidecarrying plate.

United States Patent Schwaller et al.

[ Julyll, 1972 [54] HIDE PASTING MACHINE [72] Inventors: Lendo J. Schwaller; Albert J. Raul; John G. White, all of Sheboygan, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Akzona Incorporated, Asheville, NC. [22] Filed: March 23, 1971 [2]] Appl. No; 127,154

[52] U.S. Cl ..69/l, 69/45 [51] Int. Cl. r ..Cl4b 1/00 [58] FieldolSeamh ..69/l,20,45,46

l 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 832,786 lU/l 906 Forster ..69/45 1.660.022 2/1928 Wright ..69/4$ X 2,] l8,070 5/[938 Connor ..69/20 2,488,907 ll/l949 Griffin et al. n69/l 3,059,46l 10/1962 Damon et al. 69/l Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Anornq'Francis W. Young and Dawson, Tilton, Fallon 8L Lungmus ABSTRACT For pasting and slicking a hide or the like upon a plate, a wheel-equipped shaft is rotatably mounted in a support and carries at its outer end portion a pivotally mounted air cylinder having a piston stem carrying a slicking blade for stroking the hide, while a second air cylinder on the shaft has a piston stem connected to the first cylinder for moving it toward and away from the plate. The control mechanism operates valves for directing air to opposite ends of the cylinders in sequence for stroking and return movements and for locking the mechanism during the slicking stroke. The support may be slidably mounted in a mobile frame and may carry an operator's seat and power means for moving the frame independently of travel by the hide-carrying plate,

IZCIalnmtDrawlngFlgures P'A'TENTEDJuL 1 1 1972 SHEET 1 OF 3 FIG. I

INVENTORS: LANDO J. SCHWALLER ALBERT JOHN G WHG E ATT' Y PMENTEDJIJL 11 I972 SHEET 2 OF 3 FIG. 2

INVENTORS:

ATT'YS FIG. 3

PATENTEnJuL 11 I972 3.675.450

SHEET 3 [IF 3 SPE E D CONTROL FIG. 3-A

1 fit 3 L g gag i 3 15 T INVENTORS:

LANDO J. SCHWALLER -E m ALBERT J. RAZAL r JOHN G. WHITE =E M W QW ATT'Y HIDE PASTING MACHINE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY In the leather-manufacturing field, hides are dried in a stretched or extended state to produce maximum area dimension (square footage), eliminate wrinkles, and to minimize thickness irregularities. A layer of paste or similar adhesive is applied to a rectangular plate, usually of glass or porcelaincoated metal, and the hide is spread on the plate manually with a hand tool (pasting slicker) for smoothing or working out the wrinkles and irregularities and stretching the hide to its maximum dimension so that the entire surface of the hide firmly adheres to the face of the plate. The plate on which the hide is pasted is usually attached to a power-driven conveyor and the hide is pasted to the plate surface as the plate is being conveyed to a drying oven.

Unfortunately, the physical effort required to properly perform the hand slicking" operation and the variations in individual skills and attention to detail tend to produce irregular results in the proper stretching and bonding of the hide to the plate surface, resulting in uneven drying characteristics and loss in potential maximum area dimension.

We have discovered that it is possible to eliminate the necessity for manual manipulation of the slicking tool and to provide mechanical means for assuring a maximum area dimension or yield, a more uniform drying experience, and a more effective method of eliminating hide wrinkles and imperfections. This is accomplished by rotatably mounting a shafl in a support with the outer end of the shaft carrying a pivotally mounted power cylinder having its piston stern carrying a slicking blade for stroking the hide, and a second cylinder on the shaft having its piston stem connected to the first cylinder at an angle for moving the first cylinder toward and away from the hide while still providing means for locking the shaft and its support during the stroking movements. Control timer means are provided for operating the power cylinders and locking means in sequence to effect stroking of the hide on the panel.

The shaft is provided with a wheel to enable the shaft to be rotated 360, and the support is also slidably mounted in a mobile frame to permit vertical movement of the support or carriage. The mobile frame carries a seat for supporting the operator in front of the wheel, and the frame is equipped with power means for moving the frame forwardly or rearwardly and independently of movement of the panel. Further, we provide means for reducing the length of the stroke to give a jab action which is found to be particularly beneficial in slicking the edge portions of the hide.

DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. I is a broken rear view in elevation of the pasting structure or mechanism embodying our invention;

FIG. 2, a broken side view in elevation;

FIG. 3, a schematic view of the wiring layout and air hose for conduits; and

FIG. 3-A, a schematic view of a timer mechanism for operating the stroking cylinder selectively at a full length stroke or reduced length stroke.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the illustration given in FIGS. 1 and 2, l designates a panel for receiving the paste and the hide 11 secured by the paste to the panel 10. The panel may be formed of glass, porcelaincovered metal, or of any suitable material, and the panel is mounted upon rollers 12 engaging an inverted V- shaped track l3. The track [3 may be supported upon bracket members 14 and 15. An endless conveyor (not shown) may be provided for moving the panel during the pasting operation toward drying ovens.

Spaced from the panel 10 is a second generally parallel rectangular frame [6 having rollers 17 engaging an inverted Vshnped track l8 at the top and bottom of the frame 16, the

track being supported by bracket members 19 and 20. As shown best in FIG. 1, we provide a support or carriage 21 slidably mounted on the side walls of the frame 16 and provided with counterbalance weights 22 having cables extending over pulleys 22a to facilitate the raising and lowering of the carriage 21.

Rotatably mounted within the support or carriage 21 is a shaft 23 which is provided on its inner side with a wheel 24 and at its outer side with a first cylinder 25 and a second cylinder 26. Cylinder 25 is equipped with a piston having a stem 27 carrying a block 28 on which is mounted a slicking blade 29 and it is pivotally mounted upon the shaft 23 at 30.

A bracket 31 mounted on the shaft 23 pivotally supports cylinder 26 at 32. The piston stem 33 of the second cylinder 26 is provided with a connection 34 secured to the cylinder 25 so as to move the upper portion of the cylinder toward and away from the panel 10.

If desired, the frame [6 may be provided with a platform 35 carrying an operator's seat 36 and the platform may be provided with power means for moving the seat and frame 16. In the illustration given, a reversible motor 37 is mounted upon the platform 35 and drives through belt 37a, reducing gears 38 and belt 39 a drive wheel 40 supported on the standard 41 depending from platfonn 35. Switches 42 on opposite sides of the seat are at knee height and the operator can control the reversing motor 37 so as to drive the mechanism to the right or to the left by engaging with his knees the switches 42. A switch for starting the operation of control mechanism is indicated at 43.

In order to improve the pasting operating, we prefer to lock the rotatable shafl 23, the carriage 21 and the entire frame 16 so that during the pasting stroke the support means remains firm and does not yield. Any locking means may be employed. In the specific illustration given, we have provided a piston and plunger lock 44 for engaging the shaft 23 as shown best in FIG. 2, a piston and plunger lock 45 on each side of the car riage as shown best in FIG. 1, and frame locks 46 at the top and bottom of the frame 16. It will be understood that the locks may be located at any suitable place on the frame and on the carriage and on the shaft 23 for effectively locking such moving mechanism during the stroke movement of the first cylinder 25.

Any suitable power means may be provided for operating the cylinder and lock mechanism in the desired sequence, In the illustration given, we have provided air pressure operated cylinders and air enters from a source 47 through the flexible tube 48 which is coiled at 48c and thence through the hollow frame including platform 35 and frame 16. If desired, the hose 48 may be passed through the hollow shaft 23, as indicated in FIG. 2, or the flexible hose may be simply extended in any fashion from the frame 16 to the first and second cylinders. The coil 48a enables the frame 16 to be moved through a wide range of movement without placing strain upon the hose.

The electrical connections extend from reels 49 and 50 shown at the top of FIG. 2, and the reels permit the electric cords 51 to extend and retract as desired in the operation of the mobile frame 16.

Any suitable control timer mechanism may be employed for operating the air cylinders 25 and 26 in any desired sequence and for operating the locking members during the time when the first cylinder 25 is performing its pasting stroke. Control timer mechanism of the type which may be employed and which is known generally as all-pneumatic circuitrol drive mechanism is shown along with the new mechanism in FIG. 3. The showing is schematic and is not intended to be a complete flow diagram. In FIG. 3, the air pressure source is indicated by the numeral 47 and from the source extends the flexible tube 48 coiled at 48a and extending laterally therefrom to a manifold 48b and from the manifold through individual tubes 48 to the ends of the cylinders 25 and 26. From the manifold 48b a tube portion 48 also extends to a manifold 48c and from thence to the individual locking pistons 45 and 46. By this means, air pressure may be supplied to each end of each of the cylinders and to all of the locking cylinders 44, 45 and 46.

In the schematic showing of FIG. 3, the air hose 48 also extends to a speed control 52 which regulates speed by the control of airflow and thereby the speed of the timer motor 53. The timer mechanism 54 driven by the air-operated motor 53 actuates an electric control system through the use of cams 55 which engage plunger'operated switches 56, 57,58, 59 and 60, the cams being arranged for operating the switches in the desired sequence. Each switch when actuated operates a solenoid and a value in the air line 48. As will be observed from the schematic diagram, the switches are operated in any desired sequence for the operation of the solenoids to open and close the air conduits for the operation of the cylinders 25 and 26. In the timer operation, switch 56 is preferably operated first to advance the piston of cylinder 26 so as to thus press the blade against the sheet on panel 10. The timer then operates the switch 57 to actuate the locking cylinders 44, 45 and 46, and practically simultaneously therewith the switch 58 which advances the piston of cylinder 25 to give its stroke. Ac tually, both the cylinder 25 and the lock cylinders 44, 45 and 46 may be controlled by a single common switch so that they all work simultaneously and thus, if desired, the switch 57 may be omitted. Next, the timer operates switch 59 to retract at least partially the piston of cylinder 26 so as to draw the blade away from the panel and thus pen-nit the final step in which the switch 60 is closed to provide a retracting of the piston of cylinder 25. The programming cam timer may then continue the operation in the same sequence. The schematic electric layout shows electric switches 42 heretofore described for operating the reversible motor 37 and the driving of wheel 40.

In the foregoing operation, the schematic drawing illustrates the operation of the power cylinders 25 and 26 so as to cause cylinder 25 to give a full stroke. For certain operations, we prefer to have a very short stroke which is referred to as a jab, and the jab stroke is particularly useful when the hide is being pasted or slicked along its edges. in the schematic showing in FIG. 3A, the motor 53a drives a timer 540 having eight cams which operate not only the cams S6, S8, 59 and 60, the cam 58 serving to actuate not only the power stroke ofcylinder 25 but also the locking cylinders 44, 45 and 46, but also four additional contacts (not shown) which operate the same solenoid controls operated by contacts 56, 58, 59 and 60 but for shorter intervals, the timer cams being set so as to maintain the contacts effective for a shorter time, thus producing a shorter stroke in cylinder 25 to give the jab effect described In other words, the air-operated motor M operates an eight cam structure containing four cams 55 and four cams 55a, the four cams 55a being arranged to give a shorter operation of the switches 56, 58, S9 and 60. In this latter operation, switch 58 not only advances the piston and cylinder 25 for a shorter distance but also operates cylinders 44, 45 and 46 to lock the support and frame apparatus.

In the operation of the apparatus, the operator seated in seat 36 may move the frame 16 in unison with the slowly moving panel 10 so as to carry on the pasting operation as the hide 11 is being moved toward the drying room. After the pasting operation, he can direct the frame 16 to the right so as to start the pasting operation on the next hide carried by the succeeding panel H]. The support structure permits practically universal movement of the pasting mechanism because the operator can rotate the wheel 24 to move the blade into successive angular positions and this is of great importance because the hides are not uniform and therefore angular strokes of the blade 29 are needed. At the same time, the operator can move the carriage 21 upwardly and downwardly with ease because of the counterbalance. If the eight-stage cam timer shown in FIG. 3-A should be used, a foot switch 61 is provided in the platform 35 so as to stop the current flow to the full stroke sequence cam timer switches and divert the flow to the switches actuated by the jab stroke sequence timer cams 559.. When the foot is removed from the foot control switch 61, the current flow to the jab stroke is stopped and returned to the flow stroke sequence.

The invention has been described in detail with respect to hides, but by this tenn we intend to include whole hides or sides, skins, leather, and other similar wet materials to be pasted and dried. However, the machine may also be used as a presser of other forms of sheets or webs where the rubbing or pressing by a presser blade is beneficial.

While in the foregoing specification we have set out the structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

What is claimed is:

l. [n a machine structure for pasting hides on a panel coated with adhesive, a support, a shaft rotatably mounted in said support and carrying on its end adjacent said panel a pivotally mounted first power cylinder having its piston stem equipped with a blade for stroking said hide, a second cylinder on said shaft having its piston stem associated with said first cylinder for moving the blade toward and away from said hide, means for locking said shaft during said stroking movement, and control means for operating said power cylinders and locking means in sequence to eflect stroking of the hide on said panel.

2. The structure of claim I in which said shaft is equipped with means for rotating it.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said means is a wheel.

4. The structure of claim 1 in which said support is a can riage slidably mounted for vertical movement in a frame, and means are provided for locking said carriage during said stroking movement of said blade.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said frame is guided for movement in a line generally parallel with said panel, and means are provided for locking said frame during said stroking movement.

6. The structure of claim 5 in which an operator's seat is supported on said frame adjacent said carriage.

7. The structure of claim 5 in which motor-driven means are provided for moving said frame forwardly and rearwardly in dependently of said panel.

8. In combination with a track-supported mobile panel having paste securing a hide portion thereon, a frame mounted on a track generally parallel with said first track and slidably Sup porting a carriage, a wheel-equipped shaft rotatably mounted in said carriage, a pair of air cylinders mounted on said shaft near said panel including a pivotally mounted first cylinder having its piston stem carrying a blade for stroking said hide and a second cylinder having its piston stem engaging said first cylinder, locking means for locking said shaft, carriage and frame during the stroking movement of said first cylinder, and control timer means for operating said locking means and said cylinders to effect repeated stroking of said hide.

9. The structure of claim 8 in which switch means are provided for shortening the stroke of said first cylinder piston.

10. The structure of claim 8 in which said frame carries an operator's seat and reversible motor-driven means for moving said frame forwardly and rearwardly independently of movement of said panel.

11. The structure of claim 8 in which said carriage is counterbalanced for vertical movement in said frame.

12. In combination with a panel and a sheet body thereon, a presser device for exerting stroking pressure on said sheet body, comprising a support, a shaft rotatably mounted in said support, a power cylinder pivotally mounted on said shaft adjacent said panel with its piston stem carrying a blade for stroke movement over said sheet body, a second power cylinder on said shaft having its piston stem engaging said first cylinder for moving said blade toward and away from said panel, and control means for operating said cylinders in sequence to efi'ect repeated stroking movements of said blade over said sheet body.

I t 4 i i 

1. In a machine structure for pasting hides on a panel coated with adhesive, a support, a shaft rotatably mounted in said support and carrying on its end adjacent said panel a pivotally mounted first power cylinder having its piston stem equipped with a blade for stroking said hide, a second cylinder on said shaft having its piston stem associated with said first cylinder for moving the blade toward and away from said hide, means for locking said shaft during said stroking movement, and control means for operating said power cylinders and locking means in sequence to effect stroking of the hide on said panel.
 2. The structure of claim 1 in which said shaft is equipped with means for rotating it.
 3. The structure of claim 2 in which said means is a wheel.
 4. The structure of claim 1 in which said support is a carriage slidably mounted for vertical movement in a frame, and means are provided for locking said carriage during said stroking movement of said blade.
 5. The structure of claim 4 in which said frame is guided for movement in a line generally parallel with said panel, and means are provided for locking said frame during said stroking movement.
 6. The structure of claim 5 in which an operator''s seat is supported on said frame adjacent said carriage.
 7. The structure of claim 5 in which motor-driven means are provided for moving said frame forwardly and rearwardly independently of said pAnel.
 8. In combination with a track-supported mobile panel having paste securing a hide portion thereon, a frame mounted on a track generally parallel with said first track and slidably supporting a carriage, a wheel-equipped shaft rotatably mounted in said carriage, a pair of air cylinders mounted on said shaft near said panel including a pivotally mounted first cylinder having its piston stem carrying a blade for stroking said hide and a second cylinder having its piston stem engaging said first cylinder, locking means for locking said shaft, carriage and frame during the stroking movement of said first cylinder, and control timer means for operating said locking means and said cylinders to effect repeated stroking of said hide.
 9. The structure of claim 8 in which switch means are provided for shortening the stroke of said first cylinder piston.
 10. The structure of claim 8 in which said frame carries an operator''s seat and reversible motor-driven means for moving said frame forwardly and rearwardly independently of movement of said panel.
 11. The structure of claim 8 in which said carriage is counterbalanced for vertical movement in said frame.
 12. In combination with a panel and a sheet body thereon, a presser device for exerting stroking pressure on said sheet body, comprising a support, a shaft rotatably mounted in said support, a power cylinder pivotally mounted on said shaft adjacent said panel with its piston stem carrying a blade for stroke movement over said sheet body, a second power cylinder on said shaft having its piston stem engaging said first cylinder for moving said blade toward and away from said panel, and control means for operating said cylinders in sequence to effect repeated stroking movements of said blade over said sheet body. 